Kalanchoe Plant Named ‘Patrice’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Patrice’, characterized by its medium in size, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth habit; medium-sized dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-sized red purple-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Patrice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Patrice’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hinnerup, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Kalanchoe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hinnerup, Denmark in August, 2005, of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Jaqueline’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,424, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 9511-BA-0237, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Patrice was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hinnerup, Denmark in August, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hinnerup, Denmark since August, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Patrice’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Patrice’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe:

-   -   1. Medium in size, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous         growth habit.     -   2. Medium-sized dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium-sized red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Jaqueline’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of ‘Jacqueline’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more compact than plants of         ‘Jaqueline’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have slightly longer leaves than         plants of ‘Jaqueline’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Jaqueline’ differ slightly         in flower color.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in uniformity as plants of the new Kalanchoe are more uniform than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Victoria’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,419. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hinnerup, Denmark, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Victoria’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered about five days earlier         than plants of ‘Victoria’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of         ‘Victoria’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Victoria’.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Victoria’.     -   5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Victoria’.     -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe were more red in color         than flowers of plants of ‘Victoria’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Patrice’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Patrice’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the third sheet comprises close-up views of typical vegetative (top left) and generative (top right) leaves, upper (center left) and side (center right) perspective views of typical flowers and a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem (bottom) of ‘Patrice’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Hinnerup, Denmark in a glass-covered greenhouse during the spring and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were averaged 19° C., night temperatures averaged 21° C. and light levels ranged from 10 kilolux to 50 kilolux. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in containers and received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about two weeks; plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were eleven weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Patrice’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Kalanchoe blossfeldiana             ‘Jaqueline’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,424.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number 9511-BA-0237, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days             at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth             habit. Very freely flowering with numerous compound cymes.             Inverted triangle with rounded crown. Appropriate for 6-cm             to 10-cm containers.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 18 cm.         -   Branching habit.—About six lateral branches develop per             plant. Pinching (removal of the terminal apex) is not             required but will enhance lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 12 cm to 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 6 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 138A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.         -   Length, vegetative plants.—About 8 cm to 11 cm.         -   Width, vegetative plants.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.         -   Length, generative plants.—About 3 cm to 5 cm.         -   Width, generative plants.—About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate to cuneate with truncate tendencies.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, leathery;             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             Close to 139A; venation, close to 139A. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,             close to 138B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm             to 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 139D. Color, lower             surface: Close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single flowers arranged in             compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils. Uniform             and freely flowering habit with usually about 70 to 90             flowers per inflorescence. Flowers not persistent. Flowers             not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower             from April to October when grown in an outdoor nursery.             Flower initiation and development can also be induced under             artificial short day/long night conditions (at least 14             hours of darkness) year-round in a greenhouse environment.         -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive             conditions, about 70 days are required. Actual time to             flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light             intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about six weeks under interior environmental conditions.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 8 cm to 12 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.1 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Ellipsoidal. Length: About 1.6 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Between N66B and 65B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: About four in a single whorl fused at             the base. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Aspect:             Upright to eventually perpendicular to the pedicel. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N66A; color does not fade             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N66C to N66D; color does not fade with             development.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four fused at the base. Length: About             7 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146B. Color, mature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:             Erect to about 60° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:             Erect to about 90° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About five             to ten per flower. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther size:             About 1 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 22A. Amount of             pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 20A. Gynoecium:             Pistil number: About four per flower. Pistil length: About             3 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 145A.             Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary             color: Close to 138A.         -   Seed.—Seed produced by plants of the new Kalanchoe are             typically not viable. Quantity per flower: About 50 to 60.             Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color,             immature: Close to 145C. Color, mature: Close to 177A. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Kalanchoes. 

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Patrice’ as illustrated and described. 